Digital Communications Specialist

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is seeking a strategically focused Digital Communications Specialist to strengthen the digital performance, discoverability, and infrastructure of the Energy Science and Technology Directorate (ESTD). This position resides in ORNL’s Digital Media Team within the Communications and Community Engagement Directorate and collaborates closely with communicators embedded in ESTD.

The selected candidate will optimize ESTD’s external web presence, improve performance in AI-driven and traditional search environments, and establish measurable digital reporting systems to support leadership decision‑making. This role emphasizes digital platforms, analytics, web architecture, structured content strategy, and project coordination. The successful candidate will serve as ESTD’s lead resource for Word Press optimization and digital performance initiatives that directly support industry engagement and technical collaboration growth.

ESTD advances science and engineering solutions that strengthen U.S. energy systems, industrial competitiveness, and national security. Through research, applied development, demonstration, and industry partnerships, ESTD accelerates deployment across the energy value chain and supports DOE priorities related to infrastructure modernization, domestic manufacturing, grid resilience, and secure, affordable energy systems.

ESTD’s impact is amplified through its major research centers and collaboration programs, including the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF), the Building Technologies Research and Integration Center (BTRIC), the Critical Feed stocks Technology Facility (CFTF), the Grid Research Innovation and Development Center (GRID‑C), and the National Transportation Research Center (NTRC). These facilities serve as hubs for industry engagement and technology validation. This role ensures ESTD’s digital platforms effectively represent these capabilities, increase discoverability among prospective partners, and support growth in technical collaborations.

• Lead external website performance and optimization within Word Press, with emphasis on industry‑facing content and technical collaboration programs.
• Improve discoverability for ESTD facilities and programs (MDF, BTRIC, CFTF, GRID‑C, NTRC) through structured content architecture, SEO, metadata standards, internal linking, and AI search optimization best practices.
• Structure web content for performance in generative search environments and evolving AI‑driven discovery platforms.
• Conduct content audits to identify outdated material, performance gaps, and opportunities to strengthen calls to action and collaboration pathways.
• Recommend and help develop new web content that addresses strategic gaps and strengthens industry positioning.
• Work directly with scientists, engineers, and program managers to gather technical information and translate complex material into accurate, web‑optimized formats.
• Draft and edit web content to ensure clarity, technical accuracy, and alignment with search and performance strategies.
• Collaborate with writers, multimedia strategists, and designers to ensure digital products meet standards for discoverability, accessibility (WCAG), and user experience (UX).
• Analyze website and digital engagement metrics, interpret trends, and recommend improvements to enhance industry visibility and engagement.
• Develop and maintain a SharePoint site serving as a leadership dashboard for digital performance metrics, including website analytics and media monitoring.
• Monitor ESTD‑related social media activity and engagement trends; provide backup support to the social media lead as needed to ensure continuity of operations.
• Apply principles of effective web design, visual hierarchy, and user‑centered layout within ORNL governance frameworks.
• Provide guidance to team members on web standards, optimization practices, and analytics interpretation.
• Collaborate across the Digital Communications Team to ensure alignment with laboratory governance and enterprise standards.
• Comply with environment, safety, health, and quality requirements and uphold laboratory values and…